NIGHTWATCH FOR EUROPE week beginning Sunday 12th August 2007
‘Could you not watch with me for one hour?’ (Mtt26: 40)
WELCOME TO THE NIGHT WATCH FOR EUROPE
Last week we referred to the reconciliation between Europe and Africa as one of the keys the Lord has given us for the resurrection of the continent. It is a key because it is a God-given intercessory way to bring Europe to a place of genuine humility that involves dying to past and present pride and real and perceived sin, firstly against the people of Africa and then against our brother and sister nations within the European family. Last week we also took up the one word prayer ‘others.’
This week we will press home the implications of this one word prayer as an example of how the good news of the kingdom of God challenges western politics.
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If you are receiving this material unexpectedly it is because someone has suggested that you may be interested to join in. If you do not want to keep receiving it please inform us immediately and we will stop sending it to you. We want to let those of you who are newcomers know that we are very pleased to have your partnership in this watch. We are simply asking for a commitment of an hour a week some time between 9pm and 6am whatever time zone you are in.
We will send you a brief outline for prayer each week according to the prophetic direction coming from the contemporary prophetic movement in Europe. You will not always agree with everything in the watch material. Go with what you can and trust the Lord to help you with the rest. This Nightwatch began in November 2003 and We are looking to carry on for another year and three months, while realising that some can’t commit right now for as long as that, we are pleased for you to enlist for as long as you can. If you have to miss an occasional watch it’s OK as the rest of us will carry it. A six-month commitment is probably a good start.
THE CONTENT OF THE WATCH FOR THE WEEK BEGINNING SUNDAY 12th August 2007
1. CONTINUE TO RESIST THE DEVIL AWAY FROM OUR TWO CONTINENTS (10 Minutes)
Beginning with yourself, your family, home, church expression, town, region and nation, resist the devil away from the kingdom of God. If you are European by birth or ancestry, choose an African known to you and resist the devil away from her or him in the same way. If you are African by birth or ancestry do the same for a European. If you are from yet another ethic background take time to do both.
You may find it helpful to declare the following verses as you resist the devil:
"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit. Those who see you will gaze at you, they will ponder over you, saying, 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities, who did not allow his prisoners to go home?' All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb. But you have been cast out of your tomb like a rejected branch, clothed with the slain who are pierced with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit like a trampled corpse. You will not be united with them in burial, because you have ruined your country, you have slain your people. May the offspring of evildoers not be mentioned forever.” (Isaiah 14:12-20)
2. DECLARE THE WORD ‘OTHERS’! (10 Minutes)
The recent update from David Shibley of Global Advance (update@globaladvance.org) referred to William Booth’s one word gospel proclamation, which we used in the prayers we prayed last week:
“One of my heroes of Church history is the godly founder of the Salvation Army, General William Booth. General Booth lived in a time of exciting inventions, including that of the telegraph. One day a wealthy philanthropist offered to telegraph one of Booth's messages all over the world. ‘But there is one catch,’ he said. ‘Your message can only be one word long.’ General Booth immediately accepted the offer, and here is his great masterpiece one-word sermon: ‘OTHERS.’”
Prayerfully list and ask God’s forgiveness for those aspects of European culture, politics and economics that seem to you to be the most selfish. We would be grateful for your feedback on this.
3. SOME CHRISTIANS JUST DON’T ‘SEE’ THE INTERCESSORY ROLE OF THE CHURCH, NOR OF THE SOCIAL JUSTICE ORIENTATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. USE THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVES TO PRAY FOR THE CHURCH TO COME ALIVE TO THIS. (15 minutes)
A) John the Baptist baptised in repentance (water), preparing the way for the kingdom of God, take note that it is a life for ‘others.’
Pray over the following questions and answers from Luke 3:
i) What are fruits in keeping with a baptism of repentance? (v8)
About our responsibilities to the poor: (v11): “And he would answer and say to them, ‘The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.’"
About business (tax-collectors) (vv12-13):” And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than what you have been ordered to’."
About the military (v14): Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."
About the government: (v19-20): But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.
ii) What would John’s answers mean in terms of our attitude to the poor today? What would it mean for business people (tax-collectors) today? What would it mean for the military today? What would it mean for the government (Herod)?
B) Jesus came demonstrating the fullness of the kingdom of God and baptised us in the Holy Spirit (fire) in order that we should live it. Again take note that it is a life for ‘others.’
Pray over the following questions and answers:
i) What are the ripe fruits of the kingdom? Compare what John the Baptist said and how Jesus ‘filled it up’ with fire!
About our responsibilities to the poor: (Luke 6:29-30, Luke 9:13): "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either."
"But He said to them, 'You give them something to eat!' And they said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.'"
About business (tax-collectors) (Luke 19:8): "Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, 'Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.'"
About the military (Luke 6:27-28): "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."
About government (Luke 13:31-32): "Just at that time some Pharisees approached, saying to him, 'Go away, leave here, for Herod wants to kill you.' And he said to them, 'Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach my goal.'''
ii) What does this fiery fullness mean in terms of our attitude to the poor today? What does it mean for business people today? What does it mean for the military today, and for the government today?
4. CONSIDER THE NEED OF WESTERN GOVERNMENTS TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WILLIAM BOOTH’S PRAYER. (15 MINUTES)
What if ‘OTHERS’ was the political orientation of European politics?
Consider Jesus’ words:
"But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” (Luke 6:27-31)
"If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.” (Luke 6:34-35)
Some people think that these teachings of Jesus are only describing the ideal and not practically suited to life in this world, certainly not for the interaction of nations. It would surely make nations extremely vulnerable to their enemies and evil people generally; wouldn’t they would simply be in the hands of the Lord? And isn’t this where they should be? Pray for understanding of this for yourself, intercessors and men and women of peace and justice everywhere.
